Story Songs

The Andrews Sisters, Les Brown and his Band of Renown, Spike Jones.  These are the only records I can remember from my parents’ collection.  When I got older, I listened to my 4 years older sister’s records: Pat Boone, Elvis–jitterbug music. When I got to record collecting age it was the era of the sad story:  Johnny Get Angry, girls killed in car wrecks, My Boyfriend’s Back (and he’s comin’ after you-ooo.,) Red Roses for a Blue Lady. The songs were narrative and told pretty basic stories of love, death and teenage angst.

I think they did have an effect because I still want a song with a strong narrative.  For this reason I like the Avett Brothers, Gillian Welch, Brett Dennen, Chris Smither, Joe Purdy, Townes Van Zandt, Rickie Lee Jones, Steve Earle, Tom Waits…oh, lots of others–who tell stories and interpret them in their own distinctive way.  I love harmony ala the Andrews Sisters–A modern equivalent is the Wailin’ Jennys. When I was small, in the days before TV, we had an big Victrola cabinet radio/record player that had a record changer so you could put a stack on.  I still associate those songs of the forties and fifties with my parents.

Today’s MVB prompt is song.